ANTONIO, a Merchant of Venice. BASSANIO, his kinsman, suitor to Portia. GRATIANO, SALANIO, SALARINO, friends to Antonio and Bassanio. LORENZO, in love with Jessica. SHYLOCK, a Jew. TUBAL, a Jew, his friend. LAUNCELOT GOBBO, a Clown, servant to Shylock, after Magnificoes of Venice, Officers of the Court of Justice, Gaoler, Servants to Portia, and other Attendants. SCENE: Partly at Venice, and partly at Belmont. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE ACT I. SCENE I. Venice. A street. Enter ANTONIO, SALARINO, and SALANIO. ANT. In sooth, I know not why I am so sad. And such a want-wit sadness makes of me, SALAR. Your mind is tossing on the ocean, That curt'sy to them, do them reverence Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still Plucking the grass to know where sits the wind, SALAR. My wind cooling my broth, Would blow me to an ague when I thought ΙΟ 20 B What harm a wind too great might do at sea. And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks, And now worth nothing? Shall I have the thought Is sad to think upon his merchandise. ANT. Believe me, no. I thank my fortune for it, ANT. Fie, fie! 30 40 SALAR. Not in love neither: then let us say you are sad Because you are not merry; and 't were as easy For you to laugh and leap and say you are merry Because you are not sad. Now, by two-headed Janus, 50 Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time: Some that will evermore peep through their eyes And laugh, like parrots, at a bag-piper, That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile Enter BASSANIO, LORENZO, and GRATIANO. SALAN. Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman, Gratiano, and Lorenzo. Fare ye well: We leave you now with better company. SALAR. I would have stayed till I had made you merry, If worthier friends had not prevented me. ANT. Your worth is very dear in my regard. 61 I take it, your own business calls on you, BASS. Good signiors both, when shall we laugh? say, when? You grow exceeding strange: must it be so? SALAR. We'll make our leisures to attend on yours. [Exeunt SALARINO and SALANIO. LOR. My Lord Bassanio, since you have found Antonio, We two will leave you; but at dinner-time, I pray you, have in mind where we must meet. GRA. You look not well, signior Antonio; Let me play the Fool: GRA. Sleep when he wakes, and creep into the jaundice If they should speak would almost damn those ears, 70 Come, good Lorenzo. Fare ye well awhile: I'll end my exhortation after dinner. LOR. Well, we will leave you then till dinner-time. GRA. Well, keep me company but two years moe, ΙΙΟ [Exeunt GRATIANO and LORENZO. ANT. Is that anything now? BASS. Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all Venice. His reasons are as two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff: you shall seek all day ere you find them; and when you have them, they are not worth the search. ANT. Well, tell me now, what lady is the same To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage, ANT. I pray you, good Bassanio, let me know it; Within the eye of honour, be assured, My purse, my person, my extremest means, Lie all unlocked to your occasions. 120 130 BASS. In my school-days, when I had lost one shaft, 140 I shot his fellow of the self-same flight The self-same way, with more advised watch, To find the other forth, and by adventuring both I oft found both. I urge this childhood proof |